James McKenna, 58, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for a frenzied knife attack on his former partner Joanne Sidaway in Carmarthen Park. He was convicted by a jury of attempted murder after denying the charge, instead admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Attack details
On January 29 this year, McKenna armed himself with a kitchen knife with a 30cm-long blade and set off for Carmarthen Park, an area where he knew his former partner walked her dog. He lay in wait for his victim, then ambushed her and stabbed her 11 times before running off, leaving her to die in the bushes.
During the trial at Swansea Crown Court, jurors heard it was only by "pure luck" that Miss Sidaway survived the attack. The defendant "went off grid" after the attack until he was arrested in Aberystwyth some four days later.
Sentencing remarks
Sentencing judge Paul Thomas KC said McKenna set out to kill his former partner after she ended their relationship. He described the attack as planned and calculated, and "frenzied but entirely purposeful".
The court heard McKenna has a previous conviction for assaulting another former partner. His barrister told the court her client had expressed remorse for his actions.
Sentence
McKenna was sentenced to 24 years in prison. He will serve two-thirds of the sentence in custody before being released on licence.
